


i will give up this fight (cause i can't make you love me if you don't)

by writingismyescapefromreality



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, I mean, M/M, Red String of Fate, but more angst, its the 80's, max and will, the friendship you didn't know you needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-27 05:47:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13241733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingismyescapefromreality/pseuds/writingismyescapefromreality
Summary: Will can see the red string that connects him and Mike. His heart breaks as he watches his soulmate fall more and more for someone else.





	1. how can they say we're not meant to be?

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, this is my first Byler fanfiction. It's not great but oh well. This is a soulmate au obviously. This will be split into two parts. Anyway enjoy, I hope.

From the moment a person was born a red string was tied around their pinky, going off into the distance seamlessly as if it never ended. Yet somewhere else in the world, near or far, the other end of the string would be tied around another person’s pinky. The two people connected were soulmates, two halves meant to be together.

 

The one problem was that nobody could actually see the string, therefore making it almost impossible to find out who your soulmate was.  _ Almost impossible.  _ There was one way you were able to find your soulmate. You just needed to find a seer.

 

A seer was someone born with the gift of being able to see all the red strings entangling the world. They also had the ability to change soulmates. They could cut the strings of soulmates and tie them to another, or they could just cut the string and leave it at that. It was as they say ‘With great power comes great responsibility’. It wasn’t common for soulmates to change but sometimes there was the odd act of jealousy or longing or hate that caused soulmates to be changed or cut off. 

 

It was very rare to find a seer, although some of them sold their services of being able to find people’s soulmates (or changing/cutting depending on the situation). Most however, kept to themselves, not telling people of their ability, as they could never be sure if they would only be used as a way to find soulmates instead of friendship.

 

That’s why when a 5 year old Will Byers came up to his mother, Joyce, and asked her about why there was red string everywhere, she sat him down and told him about soulmates and his special ability.

 

“The red strings, they tie people to their soulmates.” Joyce tried as hard as she could to make her explanation something a 5 year old could understand. 

 

“What are soulmates?” Will asked.

 

“There like...your other half, in which you share an unbreakable bond with.”

 

“Unbreakable bond?”

 

“It’s like forever friendship.”

 

“Oh.” Will said thoughtfully. “So how do people find their soulmates?”

 

“Well, like I said people are tied to their soulmate by the red strings. However most people can’t see the string.”

 

“Can you see the string?”

 

“No honey.”

 

“Why can I?”

 

“Well there are people born into this world with a very special ability. They are able to see the strings, it is very rare though.”

 

Joyce decided to leave out the fact that Will could also cut and tie strings together. It was too much power for a kid to have.

 

“So it's sort of like a superpower ”

 

“Sure, yeah it’s like a super power.”

 

“Why couldn’t I get something like super strength or laser eyes.” Will pouted while Joyce just laughed.

 

“But just like any superhero, you can’t tell anyone about your powers.” Joyce told her son.

 

“Why not?”

 

Joyce didn’t really know what to tell Will. How were you supposed to tell your son that he shouldn’t tell anyone about his ability because of the chance that they may use him and his feelings could get hurt. So instead she just told him;

 

“You’ll understand why not when you're older.”

 

“But mooooooom.”

 

“No buts Will. Just promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

 

“I promise.” Will said, a small pout on his face.

 

“Is that a frown I see?” Joyce smirked. “I guess we’re going to have to wipe that right off.” 

 

She reached in and began tickling Will, his loud giggles filling her ears, a sense of childhood innocence swept over the room. Joyce thought in that moment that just maybe, everything would be okay.

 

Will didn’t bother asking why his mom and dad’s strings didn’t match.

* * *

 

It was on the first day of kindergarten that Will found out who his soulmate was. A lanky boy with wavy hair covering his head and dark brown eyes. Mike Wheeler, Will had found out was his name. 

 

Mike had come up to him while he was on the swings and asked to be his friend. Will had, of course, said yes, he was desperate to make friends and so far Mike was the only who had come up to him.

 

While they both sat on the swings, Will looked at his string and began following it with his eyes like he usually would. He liked to see how far it would go and guess where his soulmate might be. Except this time, his string wasn’t stretched far out into the unknown distance. The end of his string was tied around the pinky of the boy animatedly talking about a board game that he had gotten recently. 

 

Will stared at it for a minute, looking back and forth between the two ends of the string. He wondered if Mike could see it too but he seemed too unfazed, that Will doubted he did. He wanted to say something but he remembered what his mother said. If he told Mike that they were soulmates then he would have to explain his ability and Will promised his mom he wouldn’t tell anyone.

 

So Will spent the day getting to know the brown eyed boy who was his so called, other half. He liked Mike, he was funny and he was good at telling stories. Will usually didn’t talk much to other kids, but with Mike he felt himself opening up more and although he definitely didn't talk as much as Mike did, he found his voice was filling the room more than usual.

 

When Joyce met her son at the end of the day, she certainly didn’t expect him to come skipping out a wide smile on his face, waving a quick goodbye to a boy across the way from him. It was quite the drastic change from that morning.

 

Will had been dreading to school and when Joyce and Jonathan were walking him to kindergarten he had been a bundle of nerves. When his mother and brother bent down to say goodbye and wish him luck, his doe brown eyes had filled with tears and Joyce had to restrain herself from just walking back home and taking Will with her.

 

So to say it was a drastic change was an understatement. Joyce had expected to have to spend the whole walk back home convincing Will that he had to go back to school the next day. Yet there he was, talking fast about his day and how he made a new friend called Mike.  Joyce silently thanked this boy, Mike, for befriending her son and actually making him excited for school the next day. When they arrived home Will was still talking and even though Lonnie, his father, still gave him a cold greeting hello, nothing could bring down his mood. 

 

Lonnie and Will didn’t have a very good father son relationship. Will was the opposite of what Lonnie wanted his son to be. Lonnie wanted Will to love sport, like playing rough and other various boy stereotypes. Yet instead he liked to draw and paint and although Will did like to have fun and play, his tolerance for roughness was different to his father's. Will was also kind of scared of his father. Joyce and Lonnie would often fight, the yelling would be heard throughout the whole house. During these moments Will would go into Jonathan's room to hide. Lonnie didn’t look very nice when he was yelling. 

 

Will had always felt closer to his mother and brother anyway. That was probably why Lonnie was so cold towards his youngest son. They had no connection at all, the only thing that really made them similar was the fact that they shared a few genes. 

 

It wasn’t until everyone was sat at the dinner table that Will mentioned that Mike was his soulmate.

 

“He’s really funny and pretty and nice which is good because I’d hoped my soulmate would be that and-” 

 

The table fell silent as Lonnie dropped his knife and fork onto the table creating a loud clatter. “You think this Mike boy is your soulmate?” Lonnie asked.

 

“I don’t think so.” Will said. “I know so. I saw our string was the same.”

 

He looked around the room in confusion as everyone seemed to have weird expressions on their faces. Jonathan looked as if he was waiting for something to explode, like he knew something bad was going to happen. His mother looked worried almost and his dad looked a mix between angry and disgusted.

 

Joyce quickly hopped into action before anything to bad could happen. “Jonathan could you please take Will into your room.” It was more of an order than a question.

 

Will was about to protest as he was still hungry and wanted to finish his dinner but he then noticed how Jonathan just went along with what their mother said and how serious he looked that as soon as he gestured for Will to follow him, he immediately got up and followed.

 

The two of them made it to Jonathan’s room and sat down on the bed. “Jonathan what’s happening?”

 

“Mom and Dad are just talking.” Jonathan replied.

 

“Does this have to do with Mike being my soulmate?”

 

“I don’t know.” Jonathan lied. Will was very perceptive for his age and could tell that his older brother was lying.

 

“Why are you lying? Mom said lying was bad.” Will said.

 

Jonathan laughed despite the situation. Will was always able to read him like a book. Jonathan loved his brother to pieces, the minute he held him in his arms after he was born, Jonathan vowed to protect his baby brother from anything and everything. However, Jonathan feared that now he may have to protect Will from their own father.

 

Jonathan had found out about his father's views on same sex relationships when he was 7. His dad and him were having a ‘Father-Son’ day, as his mother called it. Jonathan could tell his dad didn’t really want to do it but his mother forced him to. The two were walking back from the park when Jonathan spotted two men sitting on a bench a few meters away from them, holding hands.

 

_ “Dad? Why are they holding hands?” Jonathan had asked, his young mind full of curiosity like any other. _

 

_ “Because they’re  _ queer _.” Lonnie said the word like poison on the tip of his tongue. “They like each other, which they shouldn’t.” _

 

_ “Why not?” _

 

_ “Because boys shouldn’t like boys, it’s wrong.” _

 

Jonathan wanted to ask why it was wrong. It seemed fine to him, it was just two boys who were holding hands, it’s not like they were doing anything wrong. Well not in  _ his  _ mind anyway. Jonathan held off on talking about the subject anymore. He could tell his dad didn’t like it.

 

His curiosity got the better of him though, so he asked his mom about it that same night.

 

_ “Why is boys liking boys wrong?” He asked. _

 

Joyce had stopped in shock for a minute. She wasn’t sure what to say, she was sure she hadn’t given any impression of the sorts. She wasn’t against people who were queer, she found it sort of weird but what didn’t really affect her day to day life didn’t really bother her.

 

_ “What brought this on?” She asked her eldest son. _

 

_ “Well me and dad were walking in the park today and I saw two boys holding hands and I asked dad why and he said because they like each other and that it’s wrong.” _

 

_ “Well, you know, it’s more unusual than wrong. People will like who they want to like, they can’t help their feelings. Although most boys like girls and most girls like boys, sometimes the universe decides to switch that around.” _

 

_ “So it’s not wrong?” _

 

_ “You seem very curious about this Jonathan, do you like boys?” _

 

Joyce wasn’t sure how to handle the situation she was in. She knew she’d love her son no matter what but she never thought she’d have a situation like this come up. 

 

_ “No!” Jonathan answered almost immediately. “I just don’t see the problem with it.” _

 

_ “Well you are one of the rare people who don’t. Don’t listen to your father about it being wrong. He just isn’t very open minded.” _

 

_ “Do you think it’s bad?’ _

 

_ “If they are good people then it shouldn’t matter.” Was all Joyce had said. _

 

From that day, Jonathan knew that his father was against anyone that was different in the matter of sexuality. The minute Will had said this Mike boy was his soulmate, he immediately looked at his father and saw the surprise and disgust in his eyes. He knew whatever was going to happen next wasn’t going to be good.

 

“So you’re positive this Mike kid is your soulmate?” Jonathan asked.

 

“I already told you, I saw our string, it was the same.” Will replied.

 

“Did you tell him?”

 

“No cause then I’d have to explain that I can see the strings and mom said I couldn’t tell anyone.”

 

Jonathan was about to say something when they heard their dad yells fill the house.

 

“Our son!? A faggot!?”

 

“Lonnie stop!” 

 

“I always knew he was weird, girly even” There was the sound of a door slamming, which made both Jonathan and Will jump. “It’s no surprise he’s...one of them.”

 

“Will is our son! It doesn’t matter who his soulmate is, he is our son. Stop talking about him as if he’s nothing.” 

 

“Jonathan why are they fighting because of me?” Will’s eyes were brimmed with tears. He was used to his Mom and Dad fighting, it happened more often than not. But this time he knew they were fighting because of him and he didn’t know what he did.

 

“Dad’s just being a jerk.” Jonathan told him before getting up to lock the door. “Ignore it Will.”

 

“Is this about Mike? What’s so wrong with him being my soulmate?”

 

“It doesn’t matter Will.” Jonathan insisted. “Please just drop it for now, okay?”

 

That night ended with Will sleeping in Jonathan's room, Jonathan lying next to Will vowing to protect Will from anything this new found situation would throw his way,  Joyce sitting on the couch cigarette in her hand silently praying that everything would be okay, and Lonnie out at a bar drinking up a storm. Whatever innocence was previously in the household long gone.

* * *

 

The already almost non-existent relationship between Will and Lonnie had perished in the fire that had occurred that night. Will still hung out with Mike, finding both him and school a break from the emptiness that was his home.

 

The dinner table was now filled with agonizing silence and Will was no longer even greeted when he came home from school. The fights between Joyce and Lonnie increased, which both Jonathan and Will didn’t even think was possible. This carried on for a couple more years until Will was 8.

 

Will was sat on his bed, his sketch book open, carefully working on his new masterpiece. There was a knock on the door and Will assumed it was his mum or Jonathan.

 

“Come in!” He called and he did a double take when he saw his dad enter the room.

 

“Hey son.” Lonnie greeted before sitting down on Will’s bed.

 

“Uh, hey dad.” Will replied.

 

“You must be wondering what I’m here for.”

 

“Just a little.”

 

“I just want to talk to you.” Lonnie explained. “About this whole soulmate thing.”

 

“Oh.” Will wasn’t exactly sure what was going on but he was sure that his dad wasn’t exactly happy about his soulmate situation.

 

“You have the ability to see the strings right?” Lonnie asked.

 

“Yeah…”

 

“Did your mother tell you about your other abilities?”

 

“What other abilities?”

 

“You can change soulmates.” 

 

Will was confused,  _ ‘Change soulmates?’ _ . “What do you mean?”

 

“You can cut people’s strings and tie them to others creating different sets of soulmates.”

 

“Why didn’t mom tell me?”

 

“She thought it was too much responsibility for a five year old, which it was, but now you’re eight and I think it's time you knew.”

 

“Well thanks for telling me I guess.” Will still wasn’t exactly sure why his dad was talking to him.

 

“There’s more.” Lonnie said. “I want you to change your soulmate.”

 

“What!? Why!? I like Mike.”

 

“Because boys and boys aren’t meant to be soulmates Will, that’s just the way it is.”

 

“Who said?”

 

“Everybody!”

 

Will didn't understand what was so bad about a boy being his soulmate. Sure most boys were with girls but so what? He liked Mike, a lot actually.

 

“Look it won’t even hurt. All you have to do is cut the string.” Lonnie pulled out a pair of scissors.

 

“I won’t do it!” 

 

“I can’t have a  _ queer _ as a son!”

 

“I-” 

 

Will was cut off by his mum slamming open the door.

 

“What is going on in here?” Joyce announced before her eyes landed on the scissors in Lonnie’s hands. “You wouldn’t…”

 

“It has to be done Joyce. It’s not right.”

 

“He’s eight Lon! What’s not right is making him give up his soulmate!”

 

“It’s not a soulmate Joyce, it’s a mistake.”

 

“The only mistake is me allowing you stay in this household, if you can’t accept your son, you are not welcome in this house.”

 

“You don’t mean that Joyce.” Lonnie insisted. “You need me here.”

 

“Get out!” Joyce yelled. “Get out!” 

 

That was the night Will truly lost his father, not that he had much of one to begin with. Lonnie packed up his things and left the house. That night Will and Jonathan went out and built Castle Byers. He was determined to get it done because even though all he did was break his family apart, maybe finally he could build and fix something good. After everything that happened, he almost wished he had cut the string.

* * *

 

The next day, Will went over to Mike’s as Joyce wanted him out of the house while she cleared away all of Lonnie’s left over things. 

 

When Mike greeted Will at the door, the two of them made their way down to the Wheeler basement and as soon as they sat down, Will broke down.

 

He told Mike all about his dad leaving, his parents fighting and how he ‘knew’ it was all his fault. He left out the soulmate part of the story. Mike held him throughout the whole thing. Not saying anything, which was rare, he listened to Will and comforted him.

 

“You m-must think I’m s-such a baby.” Will sniffed.

 

“Actually I think you are one of the strongest people I know. Once my parents got into a fight and I ran out of the house crying like a baby and I didn’t stop crying for two days. If I’d been through what you have, I would definitely have reacted so much worse.” Mike told his best friend.

 

“Thanks Mike.” Will wiped his eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time. 

 

“Hey do you want to invite Lucas over so we can all play a game? It’ll get your mind off everything.”

 

Lucas Sinclair had lived next door to Mike since forever. They had become really good friends when they were six, so when Mike befriended Lucas, he extended his hand in friendship to Will as well. Will was kind of surprised at first because….well  _ two  _ people now wanted to be his friend, he never thought he’d see the day.

 

“Yeah that sounds fun.” As the two of them ran off, Will held his pinky, fondling with the bright red string that tied him to the person who always seemed to make things okay. Any thought he ever had about cutting the string was far away from him.

 

That afternoon, Will Byers was just an eight year old kid playing with his friends, the weight that always seemed to be on his shoulders, lifted for just one moment.


	2. how stupid of me to think i was the only flower in your garden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So its been awhile...I'm not even going to bother making up excuses. I got bored and stopped writing. Anyway here is the second chapter to a now three part story instead of two part. This is sort of like the filler chapter (I fee like it's shitty), the exciting shit is going to happen in the last chapter/next chapter. Anyway, enjoy!

When Will was twelve years old, he was taken to the Upside Down. Constantly in fear of dying either from the demogorgon or just plain pneumonia. The only thing that kept him going was the red string tied around his pinky. It wasn’t a bright, vibrant red in the upside down, instead it was more the colour of dark blood. Yet Will still held onto it for dear life, it was a literal lifeline for him. In what he thought were his final moments, he thought of Mike.

When he woke up, he was surprised to see his mother and brother surrounding him, while he was lying on an uncomfortable hospital bed. His mother quickly hugged him tight.

Will was home once again, in his own world and all was well.

“Do you want us to get your friends? They’ve been waiting to see you.” Jonathan laughed as Will grinned, nodding quickly, then he went out into the waiting room to get Mike, Lucas and Dustin.

As soon as Will saw his three best friends his grinned widely and the light in his eyes that had seemed to be missing came right back. Mike was first to hug Will, his long arms wrapping awkwardly around him from their weird angle. Lucas quickly followed and Dustin pushed the other two off to hug him.

“You won’t believe what happened while you were gone, man!” Lucas exclaimed.

“It was mental!” Dustin added.

“You had a funeral.”

“Jennifer hayes was crying.”

“And Troy peed himself!” Dustin said excitedly. “In front of the whole school.”

Will was smiling at his friends excitement, but it was wiped of his face as he began coughing, his throat feeling like sandpaper. Mike looked at him with concern.

“You okay?” He asked. God Will had missed that voice, his soulmates voice. Will remembered his time in the upside down and how most of it was spent hiding from the demogorgon.

“It got me. The demogorgon.”

“We know. It's okay. It's dead. We made a new friend. She stopped it. She saved us. But she's gone now.” It got quiet and Will studied Mike’s face, he looked sad, sadder than Will had ever seen him.

“Her name was Eleven.” Dustin told him.

“Like the number?” Will asked, confused.

“Well, we call her El for short.” Lucas replied.

“She’s basically a wizard.”

“She has superpowers.”

“More like Yoda.”

“She flipped a van with her mind.”

Will listened to his friends talk excitedly about the mysterious ‘Eleven’. She did seem really cool, the only thing that rubbed him the wrong way was the way Mike looked while he talked about her. His eyes filled with a certain adoration that Will could see wasn’t purely platonic. Will decided to let it slip, it was probably just a crush. Mike was allowed to like other people, it’s not like he and Will were boyfriends. Mike didn’t even know they were soulmates. Everything was fine.

* * *

 

Everything was not fine. Things were different when Will got back. His nights were no longer filled with peaceful sleeps but rather terrifying nightmares and long sleepless nights. People treated him different too, instead of being treated like a human being, he was treated like a delicate, fragile glass figurine that, if touched the wrong way, would instantly shatter.

However, what really hit him the most was how Mike changed. He had become mopey and moody and his old self seemed to be lost in self pity. Will realised that whatever Mike felt for Eleven definitely wasn’t just a crush. It hurt Will, watching his soulmate long for someone that definitely wasn’t him. He envied the girl who seemed to make Mike fall in love with her in just one week, while he had been trying to get Mike to notice him since they were ten and he learned what love was. Things were different and Will didn’t know how to feel.

* * *

 

Will watched as his friends tried to get the attention of the new girl Max.

The party was standing in the courtyard looking at the red head across from them.

“Dude she’s so cool, I wouldn’t be surprised if we were soulmates.” Dustin said.

“Yeah right.” Lucas scoffed. “If she was going to be any of our soulmates, it would be me.”

Will eyed the red string on the end of the girl’s finger, it didn’t lead to either Lucas or Dustin but off into the distance. He fought the urge to tell them that she wasn’t either of their soulmates but he knew couldn’t expose himself. He also supposed that was part of the soulmate experience, not really knowing who was your soulmate. While others probably found it annoying, Will wished he wasn’t able to know his soulmate was or anyone else's. It would probably save him a lot of heartache.

He wondered if he didn’t know Mike was his soulmate, if he would still be in love with him. Will couldn’t really imagine a reality in which he didn’t love Mike.

“I don’t know what you find so cool about her.” Mike said indignantly.

“Dude she skateboards and is good at arcade games, like really good.!” Lucas exclaimed.

“I just don’t see the appeal.” Mike huffed.

“You just don’t see the appeal cause she’s not Eleven.” Lucas mumbled to himself.

The bell rang, saving the two from fighting. Mike stormed off, leaving the other three standing watching.

“I’m getting tired of his mood swings.” Lucas said.

“I think we all are.” Dustin replied. “I get that he misses Eleven, but he doesn’t need to take it out on us.”

“People deal with grief in different ways.” Will offered.

“Well I don’t know how much longer I can deal with him.”

“Let’s just get to class.”

* * *

 

Things weren’t looking good for Will, he was possessed by the Mind Flayer and out of control of his body. He was tied up to a chair, a bright light in his face and he had no idea where he was. He felt anger and frustration running through him from the Mind Flayer. He was screaming, he knew he was but it felt like an echo, like he was a million miles away.

Then suddenly he was calming down and his mom was talking to him. About his birthday and his rainbow ship, and Will wanted to reach out to her but he couldn’t. Jonathan joined in too, trying to help Will remember who he was and coax him out.

“Do you remember the day Dad left? We stayed up all night building Castle Byers just the way you drew it. And it took so long because you were so bad at hammering. You'd miss the nail every time. And then it started raining, but we stayed out there anyway. We were both sick for like a week after that. But we just had to finish it, didn't we? We just had to.”

Will pushed to get control, to do something to let them know that he could hear them and that he knew how to stop the Mind Flayer.

“Do you remember the first day that we met?” It was Mike talking now and all Will could think about is what a stupid question it was because how could he forget the day he met his soulmate. “It was the first day of kindergarten. I knew nobody. I had no friends and I just felt so alone and so scared, but I saw you on the swings and you were alone, too.”

Will watched as a tear fell down Mike’s cheek and he found himself pushing harder. “You were just swinging by yourself. And I just walked up to you and I asked. I asked if you wanted to be my friend. And you said yes. You said yes. It was the best thing I've ever done.”

“Will baby, if you’re in there please just talk to us.” Joyce pleads.

Will couldn’t get the control to talk but he could feel his hand moving; morse code. _‘_

_Here. Here. Here.'_

That started it, Joyce, Jonathan and Mike telling him stories to keep him there, to help him stay communicating.

They were almost there, so close to figuring out how to fix everything. Joyce sat down in front of Will to tell him another story. “Do you remember when I told you about the gift?” Joyce asked. “You said, ‘Mommy, why is there string everywhere?’ and I told you all about soulmates and about your special abilities.” Will could see the confused looks on Mike and Chief Hooper’s faces.

“We called it your special superpower. I made you promise not to tell anyone, which is a promise I know you’ve kept for all these years.” Joyce reached out and grabbed his right hand and held his pinky. “You know where this leads, you know what this means, because I know you’re in their Will and I know that if anything can bring you back this can.”

Will finally got out the letter E and Hopper sent it over to the rest.

Joyce let go of his hand and Will looked down at the red string around his pinky, he followed it but stopped as he heard a phone ringing. He felt the Mind Flayer sending the demodogs towards the Byers household, then everything went black.

* * *

 

Will supposed he should have been happy considering he was finally free of the Mind Flayer and the Upside Down but he couldn’t bring himself to find relief. Will had fought monsters scarier than he could imagine and felt pain that no 13 year old should but nothing compared to the agony of watching his soulmate fall in love with someone else.

Will liked Eleven, she was nice and although she didn’t talk much, she was fun to be around. Will couldn’t hate her for something she had no control over, it wasn’t her fault Mike loved her. The funny thing was that Will could see her soul string and it led straight to the fiery red head who was currently dating Lucas after they danced at the Snowball together.

Eleven and Max still didn’t get on too well. Max really wanted to friends with Eleven, she was cool and she really wanted some friends who were girls. Eleven on the other hand was apprehensive of Max, not really trusting her. Will was surprised at the fact the two were both girls and that they were soulmates. Even though neither of the two knew what they were to each other, it made Will feel a little less alone.

He didn’t tell them of course, he made a promise with himself when he was ten, _‘Only tell people their soulmates if they ask’_. After the Mind Flayer interrogation, Hopper and Mike both knew his secret. Mike wasn’t really sure what Joyce was talking about in the shed, so he asked Will about it one day. The party was having a sleepover and Lucas and Dustin were asleep leaving Mike and Will alone to talk.

“When we were trying to get you tell us how to stop the Mind Flayer, your mom was talking about your ‘special gift’. What did she mean?”

Will felt his heart stop, he wasn’t sure what to say. He gulped, “Well you know about soulmates right?”

“Yeah of course, red string of fate, everyone knows about that.” Mike replied.

“Do you know about seers?”

“Sort of, I know they can see the strings.” Mike said before it all clicked. “Oh, you’re a seer?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.” Mike was quiet for a while. “So say if El and I were soulmates, you’d know?”

The words were a dagger through Will’s heart, just the hope laced in the sentence was like poison. “I guess if you were, I’d be able to tell you.”

“So are we?” Mike asked and Will was faced with one of the hardest decisions in his life. He could lie and let Mike believe he and El were soulmates which meant he would most likely lose any chance of Mike and him getting together, not that Will thought there was any chance anyway. But if he told Mike that, no they weren’t, then Mike would no doubt get upset and disappointed and Will hated when Mike was upset. However, Will couldn’t lie to Mike, he’d feel too guilty.

“You want me to be completely honest with you?” Will asked cautiously.

“Completely.”

“You and El aren’t soulmates.” Will winced at his own words.

“Are you sure? Maybe you got it wrong.” Mike refused the idea that he and Eleven weren't soulmates.

“I’ve seen both of your strings and they don’t match. I’m sorry Mike.” Mike had unreadable expression on his face that Will couldn’t understand.

“Who even cares about soulmates anyway? I’d rather be with El than whoever my stupid soulmate is.” If Mike’s previous words were a stab in Will’s heart then this was the twist of the knife. The two were silent for a while, neither sure what to say to the other.

“You can’t tell anyone about my gift.” Will told him.

“I won’t.”


	3. you said you would always be there (so why am i all alone)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this whole story is taking me years to write. I started this story in December last year and here I am now only just posting the third chapter. This story was actually only supposed to be a two shot but I got carried away so...enjoy. (I'm not a great writer so I apologise).

Things really started to change when Will and the rest of the party started high school. Their group as a whole seemed to be breaking at it’s seems.

 

At the start of high school, they were grouped together like their lives depended on it. Any class without a least one friend made them vulnerable. Then as the months went on, they each branched out, made new friends, joined new clubs - it was inevitable.

 

Of course they still said ‘hi’ in hallways, occasionally sat together at lunch and in some classes. The group split of in twos really. El and Mike went together, Lucas and Dustin went off being bros and the most surprising pair was Max and Will. 

 

Will was surprised to see Max in his first high school art class. She walked in, saw him and strutted over in a way only Max could. The two weren’t really the closest in the group, whether it was due to their differing personalities or the fact that Max stuck more with Lucas while Will stuck mostly with Mike.

 

“Hey Byers.” She greeted, slightly awkward. They had spent little time just the two of them.

 

“Uh, hey Max.” Will replied. “I didn’t know you did art”

 

“Well,I’m not exactly an artist, I’m more of a doodle or graffiti kind of girl but my mom says I should put all that energy into something more classic.” Max rolled her eyes while Will noticed a sketch book in her arms.

 

“Is that a sketchbook?” He asked.

 

“I’ve never really referred to it as that but sure I guess.” Max replied.

 

“Can I have a look?” Will asked.

 

“Wow, the talented art prodigy Will Byers wants to look at my work, I don’t know if I can handle the pressure.” Max joked but handed the book over.

 

Will opened the book to see random doodles and drawings but all of them looked amazing. Some were of weird monster looking creatures, others were like graffiti, words and colours everywhere, some were just random scribbles of objects. They weren’t the classic fruit bowls or water lilies.

 

“These are amazing Max!” Will exclaimed.

 

“That means a lot coming from the prodigy himself.” Max joked but her cheeks were red.  “You should tell that to my stepdad though, he says I’m wasting my time drawing these pieces of crap when I could studying”

 

“You’re stepdad is blind and can’t see talent even if it’s staring him right in the face.” Will told her. 

 

“Thanks.” 

 

“I’m being serious though, these are awesome. You’ve got down some techniques I haven’t even mastered yet.”

 

“I guess that’s saying something.” Max said. “Maybe we should hang out sometime and we can pick up tips and tricks from one another?”

 

“That sounds fun.” Will smiled at her. “I’m free Thursday afternoon.”

 

“Cool, meet me at the back of the library.”

 

“You betcha.”

 

The two stopped talking as the art teacher walked in but the warm feeling settled in their stomach of blooming friendship.

* * *

They met every Thursday afternoon after that first week. The first couple of weeks they just talked about art and casual small talk about school but eventually they started opening up to one another. Max talked about her family, how her stepdad was a manipulative abusive asshole and how her brother took right after him. In turn, Will told her about his dad and how he was a massive dick.

 

One Thursday, the two were sitting at the back of the library, quietly working on their own projects, when Max stopped and said a quiet ‘thank you’.

 

“What are you thanking me for?” Will asked.

 

“For the past two months you’ve sat and listened to me complain about so much shit, you’ve made me feel better about myself in so many ways. You care about me and I haven’t really had that since well… Lucas.”

 

Will’s taken aback, Max isn’t one to show appreciation or admit that she feels something. “You’ve done a lot for me too Max.”

 

“I know but I also wanted to thank you for not asking why I broke up with Lucas or hammering me about it. I love Lucas, just not like that. When I broke up with him, he took it well but then Dustin was asking why and Mike was mad at me for hurting Lucas, not that he isn’t always mad at me for something. But you, you just let it be and I’m really grateful for that.”

 

“I just figured it was none of my business plus you looked just as hurt and upset about the break up so I know you didn’t want to hurt Lucas.”

“Can I tell you something?” Max asked nervously.

 

“You know you can.”

 

“I broke up with Lucas because I...I like...girls.” Max winced and put her head down.

 

Will reached out and put his hand on top of hers and squeezed. “It’s okay.” Will told her. “I understand.”

 

Max lifted her head up and looked him in the eye understanding what he meant, “Why do we have to be different?”

 

“We’re only different because society makes us different.” Will replied. “Plus there is a whole world out there full of ‘different’ people.”

 

“Does it hurt?” Max asked out of the blue.

 

“Does what hurt?”

 

“Watching Mike with El?”

 

Will doesn’t know what to say. She knows? How? He didn’t think he was that obvious. If Max knew maybe everybody knew.

 

“It’s okay Will, I know because your my one of my best friends and I can see behind that mask you put on.” Max explained. 

 

“I thought it was foolproof.” Will sighed.

 

“Not to me.”

 

The two sat there in their chairs, quietly stewing over each confession.

 

“Yes.” Will said.

 

“Huh?”

 

“You asked me if it hurt when I see Mike with El, and it does.” Will admits. “It hurts more than anything else in the world and I’ve been burned alive.”

 

“I get it.” 

 

“Thanks for the sympathy.”

 

“No Will,  _ I get it _ .” Max insisted.

 

“You -  _ oh. _ ” And Will finally understood. “The world works in unfair ways doesn’t it?”

 

“That’s an understatement.”

* * *

 

It was nice to finally have someone who understood what Will was going through. After years of feeling isolated and alone, he had someone who he could talk to. He and Max had become almost inseparable, to the point that if Will wasn’t so loyal to Mike he’d call Max his best friend.

 

Of course their closeness was questioned by Lucas who thought there was more to them just platonic friendship. Will shot that idea down quick, assuring Lucas that, while Max was great, she was not interested in Will or vice versa.

 

Mike was especially opposed to Will and Max’s friendship, which confused Will because, sure Mike wasn’t Max’s biggest fan, but what was it to him who Will hung out with. It wasn’t even like Will and Mike spent that much time together anymore. Mike was too busy dating El and Will was too busy trying to avoid the heartache of seeing the happy couple together.

 

“Why do you hang out with Max so much?” Mike asked him one day in his basement. The party were having a get together and Will had been the first to arrive.

 

“Because she’s a really good friend.” Will replied. “Plus it’s nice to talk to someone who also likes to make art. Why do you ask?”

 

“I don’t know, you guys have just been spending  _ a lot  _ of time together. It’s almost as if you guys like each other or something.” Mike shrugged while rolled his eyes and huffed.

 

“First Lucas and now you? Max and I don’t like each other like that, like at all. Can’t a guy and girl just be friends?”

 

“It’s hard not to think you guys are together, you’re always giggling together and whispering things in each others ears, not to mention that fact Max always has her arm around you or your arms are linked. You don’t exactly give off the impression of ‘just friends’.” If Will didn’t know that Mike was completely in love with El, he would of thought that Mike almost sounded... _ jealous _ .

 

“What would it even matter to you if we were?” Will asked defensively.

 

“I just don’t think it would be fair to Lucas if you starting dating his ex only a couple of months after their break up.”

 

“That would be Lucas’s problem not yours.”

 

“Well forgive me for caring about my friends.” Mike snapped. “Not that you would care, all you care about is Max.”

 

“Are you being serious right now? Max and I spend a lot of time together because guess what? We get along, we like the same stuff, she understands me and I understand her. In fact we might as well be best friends.”

 

“So you’re saying you’d rather hang out with a girl we barely even know and choose her over your friends who you’ve known for years! She just came into the party and now suddenly she’s your best friend. ”

 

That made Will snap. He stood up from his spot on the couch and turned to Mike.

 

“That’s rich coming from you,  _ Michael, _ considering I remember you and El doing the exact same thing.”

 

Mike stood up as well.

 

“That’s different and you know it!”

 

“Is it? El hasn’t been here since kindergarten like us and Lucas or fourth grade like Dustin has. We haven’t known her for years. But of course that’s completely different.” Will said sarcastically. “Don’t tell me I’ve chosen Max over the party when you spend just as much time with El as I do with Max.”

 

“That’s because she’s my girlfriend.”

 

“Well Max is my best friend.”

 

“I thought  _ I _ was your best friend.”

 

“You know what? So did I.” Will’s voice cracked and he looked away from the boy in front of him.. “But then you weren’t there when I needed you like a best friend should be.”

 

“What do you mean?” Mike asked.

 

“My dad came back last month, but you wouldn’t have known that would you?” Will said. “He came back, he walked into the house, drunk off his ass, acting like he owned the place, like he didn’t destroy our family, like he wasn’t an abusive asshole. He yelled at my mother and he did what he always did, called me a fag and a worthless piece of shit. Mom called Hopper and he forced Lonnie out of the house.” 

 

Will turned to look at Mike, who was staring back at him with a look Will couldn’t quite decipher. Looking into Mike’s eyes made Will wanted to just pretend everything was back to normal, but the anger that was built up in his small body seemed to over power that want. This angry part of him, wanted Mike to understand how hurt Will was.

 

“My whole life was crashing down and you know what I thought? Who was always there for me when my sad excuse of a father did shit like this when  was younger? It was always Mike because he’s my best friend and he’d never let me down. So I biked over here, to your house just to be told by your mom that you were out with El.” Will explained. “Which is okay because it’s not like you have to wait around for me to come crying to you about my daddy issues.”

 

Mike looked like he wanted to say something but Will didn’t let him. “Then the next day at school, I asked if we could talk and you said ‘maybe later, I’ve got to help El’ and once again I thought, ‘that’s understandable’. So I asked if you could meet me after school, to which you agreed. Except you never showed up. So much for never letting me down.” Will laughed harshly.

 

“As I sat there waiting for you I was starting to believe that my father was right, that maybe I was a worthless piece of shit because I wasn’t even worth my best friends time. Do you know who did show up though?” Will asked. “Max did. She showed up and I told her everything. She sat there and she listened and she told me everything would be okay. She did what a best friend should do. She was there when you weren’t. So, you know what? Max is my best friend.”

 

“Will I-” Mike tried to say something but Will cut him off.

 

“I’m not asking you to explain yourself Mike because it’s not worth the time. Just don’t get mad at me for spending time with someone who has the time for me.” Will shook his head and let out a sigh. He picked up his coat and backpack, “Just tell the guys, I had to help my mom with something.”

 

“Y-you don’t have to leave. Please don’t.” Mike said quietly and Will almost put his stuff down but he just couldn’t do it anymore.

 

“I’m sorry Mike.” Will told him. “Have fun.”

 

Will walked up the basement stairs forcing himself not to look at the boy behind him. When he got out of the basement he didn’t count on seeing the rest of the party in the hallway.

 

“Hey Will.” Dustin said as Will tred to discreetly wipe away the tears in his eyes.. “Where are you going?”

 

“Uh-it turns out my mum needs help with something so I have to go home.”

 

“Oh okay.” Dustin believed the lie but Will could tell Max was suspicious by the way she was looking at him.

 

“I’ll see you guys at school.” Will told them before walking past them, making his way out of the Wheeler household. He let out a choked sob as he just made it to the road before someone was calling his name.

 

“Will wait!” It was Max so he stopped and turned, quickly wiping his eyes.

 

“Yeah?” He asked.

 

“Why are you crying?” Max asked worriedly.

 

“What makes you think I’m crying?” Will asked trying to play dumb but Max just looked at him as if to say ‘ _ Really?’ _ .

 

“What happened? Is everything okay?” 

 

“I just lost my best friend.” Will said before finally breaking down into sobs. Max quickly pulled him into his arms, hugging him tight. They probably stood there for a good five minutes before Max spoke up.

 

“Let’s go back to your place, we can watch a movie, or draw or talk. Something to get your mind off what’s going on.”

 

“What about the others?” Will asked. “You’re supposed to be hanging out.’

 

“You’re more important right now.” Max reassured him before linking her arms with his. The two began their journey back to the Byers house.

* * *

 

**_1 month earlier…_ **

 

_ Will had just come back from his and Max’s weekly Thursday afternoon catch up. He knew his mom or Jonathan shouldn't have been home yet so he was surprised when he heard noise coming from inside the house. His heart sped up and his old fears couldn’t help but resurface. He slowly opened the door and made his way into the house.  _

 

_ The second he walked in he was hit with the smell of stale beer and he was brought back to when his dad still lived with them. Will then heard the yelling, his mom and...his dad? _

 

_ Lonnie hadn’t been in the Byers house since Will went missing and he hadn’t seen Will since he left that night when he was eight. Will didn’t think he’d see his sorry excuse of dad ever again or at least that was what he’d hoped. The two were in Joyce’s bedroom but Will could hear them loud and clear. _

 

_ “Why are you here Lonnie? Huh, things are good around here, I don’t need you coming here and ruining that.” _

 

_ “Things are good? Look at this house Joyce, it’s falling apart! Or do you mean things are good with you and your boyfriend Jim Hopper.” _

 

_ “It’s none of your business who I am with Lonnie, you lost that privilege when you left me and our family seven years ago!” _

 

_ “You kicked me out!” _

 

_ “Because you couldn’t accept our son for who he is!” _

 

_ “Who he is?! Who he is is a fag Joyce. A worthless fag.” _

 

_ “Don’t you speak about my son like that! Sure he’s different but he’s more of a man than you’ll ever be!” _

 

_ “We should have beat it out of him or you should have let me cut his string. It’s not right!” _

 

_ “What is not right is that you’re still here! You’re drunk Lonnie and I have no idea why you decided to come here and fight with me.” _

 

_ “I came here to give you money for Jonathan’s tuition for college next year. So we can have at least one son who isn’t a failure. If you ask me, we should have stopped at Jonathan.” _

 

_ “Shut up! You need to leave now or I am calling the police.” _

 

_ “You do that Joyce! Go call your boyfriend. I’ll be waiting right here.”  _

 

_ Will felt numb. He was used to his dad saying shit like that before he left but he forgot how much it hurt. Will heard his mom walk out of her bedroom and make her way into the kitchen. He can then here her picking up the phone and dialling a number. There a bit of silence before, “Hop is that you?” _

 

_ Silence. _

 

_ “I’ve got a situation. Lonnie has turned up drunk out of the blue and I can’t get him to leave.” _

 

_ More silence. _

 

_ “Okay I’ll see you soon.” Joyce hung up the phone. It was then that Will decided to make his way into the kitchen, Joyce looked startled when she saw him. _

 

_ “Will honey, you’re home?” _

 

_ “Yeah.” His voice was quiet.  _

 

_ “How long have you been home?” Joyce asked worriedly.  _

 

_ “Long enough.” Will answered. _

 

_ “Oh honey, don’t listen to him, he’s just-” _

 

_ “I think I’m going to go over to Mike’s for a bit.” He interrupted. _

 

_ Joyce smiled sadly, “I think that’s for the best.” _

 

_ “Are you going to be okay?” Will asked. _

 

_ “Of course I will, Hop is going to be here soon.” _

 

_ “I’ll see you later then?” _

 

_ “Be safe.” _

 

_ “ I know.” _

* * *

 

_ Will was slowly making his way over to Mike’s house. Mike was always there for him when he was younger and his dad said something that made him upset. If anyone was going to be there for Will, it was him. _

 

_ He made it to Mike’s house and rang the doorbell. He was greeted by Karen Wheeler. “Hi Mrs. Wheeler, is Mike home?” _

 

_ “No sorry honey, he’s out with Jane, is there important something you need?” _

 

_ “Uh no, it was just a um...homework question but it can wait until tomorrow.” _

 

_ “Okay then, tell your mum I said hello.” _

 

_ “Will do.” Will smiled politely before turning from the door and making his way down the driveway. _

 

_ He felt lost. He didn’t know where to go or who to turn to. Mike was always a constant and now...he wasn’t. He decided he’d find Mike tomorrow and talk about it but for the meantime he would go sit in Castle Byers and draw his frustrations away. _

 

_ He spent hours out there, drawing, crying, drawing and crying. He felt lonely. Like he had no one to turn to. When he finally returned home, he found his mom and Hopper and the couch. His mom was fast asleep on Hopper’s shoulder. He looked over to Will when he walked in. _

 

_ “Hey kid.” _

 

_ “Hey chief.” _

 

_ “How are you?” _

 

_ “I have had better days.” _

 

_ “You’ve had worse.” _

 

_ “That’s true.” _

 

_ “I got rid of him.” _

 

_ “I noticed.” _

 

_ “Your dad’s a right piece of work aint he?” _

 

_ “He’s not my dad. He never has been.” _

* * *

 

_ The next day, Will walked into school with his head down, too tired to even think properly. He knew one thing; he had to find Mike. He eventually found him at his locker getting out some books. _

 

_ “Hey Mike.” He greeted. _

 

_ “Oh, hey Will.” _

 

_ “Do you have time to talk?” Will asked. _

 

_ “Uh no sorry, I promised El I would help her study before her Chemistry exam.” _

 

_ “Oh okay, can you meet me by my locker after school?” _

 

_ “Yeah sure.” Mike agreed. “I better go, see you later.”  _

 

_ Will watched him walk away, obviously on his way to find his girlfriend. It always came back to El, didn’t it? Will wasn’t one to be selfish, and he didn’t mid sharing but he couldn’t help but feel jealous that Mike was spending so much time with El. He shrugged it off before walking to find his other friends. _

 

_ After school he made his way to his locker and waited for Mike to turn up. He waited there for half an hour before he started to lose hope that Mike was going to turn up. He waited there, all by himself before Max walked down the corridor. _

 

_ “Will? What are you still doing here?” Max asked coming up to him. _

 

_ “I was waiting for Mike, but he hasn’t shown up.” Will replied. _

 

_ “Oh, I just saw him leave with El, they said something about a date,” Max told him. “Those two are gross.” _

 

_ “Of course he’s with El,” Will sighed. _

 

_ “Why were you waiting for him?” _

 

_ “I asked him to meet me so we could talk,” Will explained. “It was kind of important.” _

 

_ “Well since Mike’s not here, do you want to talk to me? You don’t have to but you’ve looked kind of down all day.” _

 

_ Will looked at Max and saw the genuine concern in her eyes. Maybe it was time he found someone other than Mike to talk to. It wasn’t like Mike was very available these days. Will decided that he should probably talk to someone. _

 

_ “Actually yeah,” Will told her. “Let’s go to the library.” _

* * *

 

**_Present Day_ **

 

They decided to watch a movie, which happened to be the breakfast club. Joyce was out with Hopper for the rest of the day and Jonathan was at work, leaving the two teens alone. For most of the movie, they didn’t talk, maybe a comment here and the odd joke there but nothing more. That was until the makeover scene.

 

“I want to have a makeover.” Will said out of nowhere.

 

“What?” Max asked.

 

“I want a makeover.” Will repeated himself. “I don’t want to start wearing lipgloss or mascara or anything like that but a haircut wouldn’t be so bad. I mean I’ve had this same hair for my whole life, it would be nice to have some change.”

 

“I can cut it if you want.” Max suggested.

 

“Uh, I’m not so sure about that.” Will denied. “Not that I don’t think you could, you just don’t seem the type to have had much experience.”

 

“Trust me, I used to cut my dad’s hair all the time, plus I cut one of my old friend’s hair back in California and it turned out great.” Max assured him.

 

“You sure this isn’t going to turn out like a hair horror story?”

 

“Of course it won’t. You trust me right?”

 

“Uh, I guess?”

 

“Good, so go get a chair and some scissors and we’ll get to work.”

 

That was how Will ended up in the kitchen, sitting in a chair with towel around him while Max got ready to cut his hair. 

 

“Are you sure you know what your doing?” Will asked for what seemed like the tenth time.

 

“Yes I am sure,  _ William. _ ” Max told him as she cut off the first couple of hairs.

 

“My mom is going to freak when she comes home.” 

 

“Which is why I’m going to snip and ditch, because as sweet as your mom is, she is also very scary.”

 

“So much for a loyal friend.”

 

“Speaking of loyal friends…” Max began and Will knew what she was going to ask. “You gonna tell me what happened?”

 

“I don’t know, it’s just…” Then suddenly Will was telling Max everything that happened.

 

“I’m proud of you.” Max said after he finished.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because you finally said no,” Max explained. “I haven’t known you guys that long but in all the time that I have, I’ve watched you follow Mike around and do everything he asked. He had you wrapped around his finger.”

 

“Am I really like that?”

 

“Sort of, yeah and I think Mike liked that you would do anything for him.” Max admitted. “So the second you put someone before him, he didn’t know how to handle it.”

 

“It wasn’t like I wasn’t being his friend anymore, I was just spending time with you.”

 

“That’s true but Mike’s a teenage boy, which means for a smart guy he’s pretty dumb.”

 

Will couldn’t help but laugh a little at that before he turned serious again. “I don’t want to lose him Max.”

 

“I know you really like him Will but would it be so bad if you let him go?”

 

“I could never just leave him.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because he’s my best friend soulmate,” Will said, "...and my soulmate."

 

Max stopped cutting his hair in shock. That was the first time anyone other than Will’s family had found out about Mike being his soulmate. It felt like a breath of fresh air to finally just let the fact out yet at the same time it felt like Will had made a huge mistake in telling someone else.

 

“...Mike’s your soulmate?” Max asked. “How do you know?”

 

“I’m a seer.”

 

“Holy shit Will! You’re a seer!?” Max exclaimed.

 

“Uh..yeah…”

 

“So you can see the strings?”

 

“All of them.”

 

“So you and Mike’s string..?”

 

“One and the same.”

“No wonder you can’t let him go.” Max said. “Does he know?”

 

“Of course he doesn’t know! Do you think I just went up to him and said ‘Hey I know you’re straight and everything, and there is no way you could actually like me but guess what? We’re soulmates!’”

 

“I guess it would be pretty hard to tell him. Are you ever going to tell him?”

 

“Of course I’m not, he’s in love with El remember?”

 

“Surely that would change once he found out you’re his soulmate.”

 

“Trust me, it wouldn’t.”

 

“How can you be so sure?”

 

“Because he once said to me and I quote ‘I’d rather be with El than whoever my stupid soulmate is.’”

 

“He actually said that?” Max asked.

 

“Yes he did.” He felt tears prick his eyes as he thought about the conversation.

 

“Oh Will.” Max wrapped her arms around him. 

 

“It’s really fine. It hurts but I’m used to it.”

 

“You know what you need?”

 

“What?”

 

“A boyfriend.”

 

“Are you crazy Max? This is Hawkins, Indiana. Where am I going to find a gay guy let alone a guy who wants to date me?”

 

“There has to be someone in Hawkins who is like you.”

 

“Even if there is, it’s like I’m ever going to find out who they are. You can’t exactly be out and proud here. You and I both know that.”

 

“The universe hasn’t been very nice to you, the least it could do is give you a boyfriend.”

 

“That’ll be the day.” Will said. “Anyway this whole time we’ve been talking about me, what about you?”

 

“What about me? There is nothing to tell.” Max decided that she should go back to cutting his hair.

 

“Come on Max, I saw you on Friday smiling when you came out of school.”

 

“Okay you got me, something happened.”

 

“Tell me.”

 

“El and I had a real conversation.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah and it was nice, we talked about skateboarding. I think she’s warming up to me.”

 

“That’s good.”

 

“I think she’s starting to realize that hey, I am not after Mike,” Max said. “In fact, she should be more worried about you.”

 

“Hey!”

 

“Sorry, I was just teasing.” Max smirked. “But in all honesty, I do really want her to like me, even if it’s not in the way I like her. It would be nice to have a friend that’s not a guy.”

 

“Just give her time, I’m sure if you guys spend some more time together she can get to know you and see what an amazing person you are.”

 

“I don’t think she has time to spend with me, she’s always with Mike.” Max scoffed. “It’s like they are attached at the hip or something.”

 

“They really like each other.” Will smiled sadly. “I bet they’ll be high school sweethearts.”

 

“But they’re not even soulmates.”

 

“Mike’s stubborn, he’s not going to let the universe tell him what to do.”

 

“But that’s so unfair to you and to whoever El’s soulmate is.” Max said. “How come they get a happy ever after while their soulmates are left all alone.”

 

Will debated with himself whether to tell Max that  _ she  _ was El’s soulmate. He eventually decided against it. It was one thing to like someone who was in love with someone else but it hurt even more to know that your soulmate was in love with someone else.

 

“I’m fine with being alone, as long as Mike is happy.”

 

“This is what I am talking about Will, I get that you like Mike and he’s your soulmate but you gotta stop letting him rule your life.” Max came around from behind Will and looked him in the eye. “You’re allowed to be selfish.”

 

“Max, if my soulmate doesn’t even want me and how could anyone else?”

 

“Will, you’re smart, creative, funny and totally good lookin’. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”

 

“You really think so?”

 

“I know so. Plus who could resist you with your brand new haircut.”

 

“You’re finished?”

 

“Yep.” Max said before handing Will a mirror. The hair was shorter on the sides and his bangs hung on his forehead pushed to the side.

 

“I look...good.”

 

“See I told you I could cut it.”

 

Will got up and hugged his friend tightly before pulling away. “What was that for?” She asked.

 

“It was a thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome then.” 

 

Will smiled at her but suddenly his face dropped. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Max asked.

 

“My mum is going to freak.”


End file.
